Rotary drilling-machine.



vA. C\ ZHERATH. ROTARY Daumas mAcHm. l APRUCATIGN' min nmz, ma. Llgw. Y Patented Fab. 22,1916.

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Cl 'ZIEBAW ROTARY DRILLING MACHINE. y APPucATmN man 1.,26, 191e.

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A. C. Zu-:RAUL R01/IRI' IIRILLIII'IG MACHINE.

' I APPLICATION FILED IAII. 26,1914. 1,173,138.

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AUGUSTUS', c. ZIEBATH, or Los ANGELES, oamronrrrieY y,

IEtOlAll-RFYy DRILLING-MAGHINE.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS C'. ZIERATH, 'l

a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, l

State of-California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Drilling- Machines, of which thefollowing is a spe'civ tica tion.

This invention relates to a rotary drilling machine, and particularly pertains to a mechanism" for drilling wells.. v

-In the drilling ofwells, particularly loil wells, where the drilling operations are carried on at a great depth, diiiculty is metT` in providing a durable bearing for the drillpipe-rotating-mechanism on account of its weight and the strains imposed thereon in rotating the drill-pipe and at the same time guard against wreckage of the rotary due to leverage strains exerted thereon by the drill-pipe.

It is the object of this invention to over 7 come the above ditliculties by providing a substantial bearing on which the rotary revolves in rotating the drill-pipe and providing a separate anti-t`riction bearing for preventing-,binding and damage to the rotary due to lateral strains thereon.

Another object is to provide a duplex driving means forv a rotary, whereby the driving strains in drilling operations will he delivered to opposite sides of the rotary and thereby distributed so as not toimpose the driving strains at one point, and Wherehr smooth and steadyl running of the rotary is effected. v

-Another object is to provide a driving means by which the direction of rotation of s the rotary can be reversed without reversing the engine when it is desired to ream' the bore.

`.A further obyect is to provde a means tor-connecting the drill-pipe t'o the'rotary which will permit of vertical movement of the drillmipe in relation to the rotary Without tending to unseat the rotary, and in which binding ot'the drill-pine in the rotary is largely obviated.

Another obect is to 'provide a rotary l which can be readily assembled or taken apart for repair or renewal of worn or damaged parts, and which is so constructed that Ft need not be removed during the insertion or removal ot' the wellcasmg.

Further objects will appear hereinafter.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

plate withI the `friction rollers removed. Fig. 6 is a detail horlzontal section on the line-G of Fig. 3

Patented rei). 22, 191e.

`Applisation led January 26, 1914. Serial No. 814,560.

U "'ti'n thereof partly in elevation.` Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section on theV line 1f-4 of Fig. 3, showing the lconstruction and4 arrangement of the lateral bearings., Fig. 5 is a detail in .side elevation of the baseeylinder and lateral antiwith the driving pinion removed. `Fig. 7-

is an enlarged sectionand elevation on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6, showing the horizontal Heating toothed bearing, the racks' being shown removed in elevation. Fig. 8 -sa plan view 'ofthe rotary showing the chuck foe, engaging the drillfpipe. Fig. 9 isa de tail, horizontal section on the line 99 of Fig.l 3 as seen in the direction indicated by the arrows., Fig. 10 Ais a detail in perspective of one of the chuck members. Fig.v 11

is a perspective view, with portions broken the connection to the drill-pipe, whereby the chuck. Fig. 12 is a detail section on the lin'e 12-.12 of Fig.' 10.

In the'drawings, 14' indicates the timber bed-frame of the rotary, which may be of any suitable construction. on the bed-frame marginal edge of which is formedi an up- Wardly extending continuous flange forming the latter is slidably engagedvby Rigidly mounted v14; is a'base-plate4 15 hav-l ing a vcircular openingI 16 therein on .the

a cylinder 17 pro]ect1ng upwardly fromtheyl upper face of the base-plate 15. The outer vertical Wall ofthe cylinder 17 is formed with a series of channels 18 which open at the upper endof the cvlinder and terminate at their lower'endsin shoulder 19. The

lower ends of the channels 18 are formed with sockets`20 for the reception of trunnions 21 on the lower ends of anti-friction rollers 22 which are adapted to be positioned tml trunnions 23 adapted to extend into sockets Qt formed on the underside ,of a ring 2t: removably and rinidljir mounted on the up jaeriend" oil the (.:jrlinder 17; the rollers 22 `)einer held in nlace on the cylinder 17 bv the ring; 25 whitih is secured to the cylinder against onward movement by means of screws or holtslf.

its a means ttor more sernrely,r attaching the ring :25"to' the cylinder 17 to insure it against turning thereon and shearing the bolts 526 and the trunnions Sifl. the underside of the ri ng is formed with lugs 2T adapted to snugly fit spaces between parallel projectini;r lugs 28 on the upper end of the cylzo inder 17 to forni. a substantial interlocking, engagement between the rino; and the cyhn der. To further secure the ringr against horizontal movement in relation to the cylluder its outer @dire is extended downwardly a5 to overlap the upper end ot' the cylinder, as

particularly shrurn in Fig. 7. i

Formed upon the upper face of the ring and concentric therewith is an annular channel Q9 in whichis mounted a circular au toothed rack 30. Engaging with the rack ie a series olE corresponding tapered pinions 3l revoluhly mounted on radiallyv ein. 'tending studs carried bjr a pair of concentric floating ringo 33 and 34; the pinions 35 31 being positioned between the ri ugs and 34, and coperirtingav with the latter to form :1 toothed lloatiner hearing.

Surrounding.'2 the stationary cylinder 17 is a reroluhle cylinder 35. the inner periphery lo ot' which revolublj,Y contacts the rollers The lower end of the cylinder 35 is formed with an. inturncd flange 3G which extends beneath the lower ende of the rollers 22 and forms an engagement with the latter to prevent upward'movement ot the cvlinder 35; i

the cylinder 35 beingmlaced in position arounclithe stationary cylinder 17 in aesem bling the struct iro before the rollers E22, ring and the floating rings and pinione are put in place. The upper end ot' the cylinder 35 terminates adjacent the plane of the upper faces ot thc pinions 3l and extends into an annular channel 37 formed on the underside of a circular plate 38 and sermred to the latter by means of nuts which are screwed on threailed studs 40 on the end of the cvlinder 35 and tottendinggr through per forationa in the plate 3S.

The plate is formed with a circular' G0 opening Ull, which opening and the interior peripheries of the .inner floating ring 3.4, ringr and cylinder 17 correspond` and formed on the underside of the plate 38 con centric with the opening Lil and opposite the G channel 29 and the rino; 25 is an annular lavarse channel 42 in which :i circular toothed rack l-l ia mounted, which rac-lt meshes with the pinio'ns 3], and cooperates with the latter and the rack 3() to form a horizontal revoluhle toothed hearing for the plate 3H and ml inder 35 and the structuren carried thereby.

The side walls of the channels Q9 and 4L project upwardly and downwardly a sullicient distance to extend adjacent the ends of the teeth of the pinions 3l to retain the floating rings and pinions against diaiuetrical displacement. The toothed racks 30 and t3 are detachably mounted in the channels 29 and 42 so as to permit ot their removal and renewal when occasion requires.

Formed on the outer periphery of the cylinder 35 at its lower. end are spur teeth 44 which Vmesh with a driving pinion 45 on a stud shaft -lcarried in suitable hearings on the bed-frame 14.-' and adapted to be rotated from any suitable source of power through a beveled pinion 4:7 thereon mesh-- ing with a corresponding pinion 48 on :1 shaft t9 carrying a clutch 50 adapted to hc engaged with a sprocket wheel 'l to which a. motive power is applied. The sprocket 51 is loose on the shaft 49 and clutch ineinher 50 is keyed on the shaft; the clutch inember being movable in and out (at-engagement with the sprocket 51 by means of a hand lever 52. i

Formed ou the cylinder 35 above the spur teeth 114 is a horizrmtallyv extending flange .73 on the upper :tace o which spur teeth 54 are formed, and toi-med Aon the underside of the plate 35i at its outer edge, which projects over the lionne l, are corresponding: spur teeth interposed between the flange 53 and the plate 3S and arranged in constant Tmceh with the spur teeth 55 is a pinion 5G which in diaposod on the side of the cylinder diametrimllgv opposite the pinion 45 and is dcsigtgned to cooperate with the latter to rotate the rliudcr 35 in one direction and to rotate cvlindcr independent of the pinion ll-li in the oppoaitc dirci-tion when moved into cnn lent with the teeth 'lho pinion no ls mounted. on a ehat't 57 carrying if itahle hearins or slarufiards 58 normally niiorted on ,hint-hierhin 59 on the hed-trame l-l and hate-plate l5. When it is desired to ooeition the pinion 56 into engagement with the teeth 5l the shimblocks are removed ao as to position the shaft 57 on a lower plane. The shaft 57 is designed to be rotated through the medium ot' a clutch member S), controlled by a hand lever 61, and a sprocltebwheel G2 loose on the shaft 57 and adapted to be connected thei'eto through the clutch 60, to which source. A

Mounted on the plate 38 is a chuck for slidablr engaging; the drilhpipe. This chuck is of peculiar construction to facili 126 sprocket power is applied from any suitable l tate its loose engagement with and disconnection from, the drill-pipe, and is of -such design as to permit the drill-pipe being removed during the operation of the rotary without loosing the chuck. This chuck 4is particularly shown in Figs. 2, 3, 8, 9 and 1() and embodies a. serieslof three jaws 63 mounted to reciprocate horizontally on the plate 38 and .adapted to be positivelyiadvanced and retracted simultaneously in re lation to each other and to the center of the opening 41. Each jaw 63 comprises a horizontally disposed V-shaped plate 6l on the inner marginal edges of which intersecting upwardly extending flanges 65 are mounted; the inner faces of the flanges 65 and the plate 64 being alined and extending toward the center of the opening 11 constitute the drill-stem engaging faces of the jaws. The plates 64 are slidably mounted and guided upon guide rails 66, here shown as T-shaped in cross section, and engaging with corresponding shaped channels 67 formed "on the underside of the plate '64.- and ex- 66 are rigidly mounted on the plate 38 and extend in radial relation to the center ofthe' opening 41 on radii arranged at equal angles in rela-tion to each other so that when' the jaws 63 are moved simultaneously longitudinally of the guide rails 66 they will assume corresponding positions in relation to each other and to the center of the open ing 41, irrespective of their distance from each other.

The means for advancing and retracting the jaws 63 includes a disk 68 formed with a continuous flange 69 on its outer periphery which is slidably engaged by grooves 70 formed in standards 71 0n the plate 38; the

disk 68 thus extending parallel with the plate 38 and revoluble in relation thereof.

Formed in the disk 68 is an opening 72, the

vertical walls of which are arranged in three corresponding arcs Vstruck from three different points to form cam faces 73 disposed to contacts rollers 74 mounted at the inter f section" of the vertical flanges 65 on the jaw members 63 `in such manner that when the disk 68 is rotated in the direction indicated the arrow -ain Fig, 8, the jaws 63 will* be causedto advance toward each other by the action of the cam faces 73. Formedv on the underside of the4 disk 68 on the marginal edge of the opening 72 is a flange 75,'

tial revolution sullicient to effect the. proper range of movement of the jaws 63. This movement of the disk 68 is accomplished by means of a worm shaft 77 revolubly mount-l ed in suitable bearings on the plate 38, which worin yshaft meshes with teeth 78 formed on the outer edge of the disk 68. T e worm i shaft 77 is provided with a hand-crank' 79 by which it can be manually rotated to' actuate the disk 68. v Y

In the application of the invention the bed-frame 14 is positioned in suitable relat10n to the well to be drilled and to the derrick as is custom-ary in well drilling operations and the chuck aws 63 are moved into slidable engagement with a three-sided tubular stem 80, which is connected at its lower end t0 the drill-pipe 81 and at its upp'er end to a cap 82. The cap 82 is connected tothe drill-pipe raising and lowering mechanism through a cable 8i. in the usual manner and is also connected to a suitable source of liquid supply in the customary manner. The stem 80, being slidably engaged by the chuck jaws 63, permits of its being raised and lowered to reciprocate .the drill-pipe vertically simultaneously with or independently vof its rotary movement, which rotary movement is effected by means of the rotary comprising the present invention.

In the operation of the invention the cyl- Ainder 35 is rotated in one direction bythe action of the pinions 45 and 56, which are y' rotated from any suitable source of power 100 through the sprockets 51 and 62. The rotation of the cylinder 35 carries the disk 38 @and the chuck jaws 63 therewith so as to" @cause the stem 80 and the drill-pipe 81 to r0- tate the cylinder 35 revolving on vthe ta-7 pered pinions 31 interpolated Ibetween the racks 30 and 43. 'lghe pinions 31 thus form a toothed bearing for-.the cylinder 35 and will act when the driving poweris shut off from the driving pinions 45 and 56 to prevent spinning or racing 0f the cylinder 35 arid cause it to come to a quick stop by reason of the engagement of the'teeth of the bearing pinions on its opposite sides with the racks 30 and 43. By the provision of 1,15 the vertical rollers 22 between the rotary` cylinder 35 vand stationary cylinder '17 an y effective anti-friction bearing is provided to facilitate4 rotation of the cylinder 35 un' der such transverse strains as may be imposed thereonby lateral deflection of the drill-pipe or other causes. Then it is desired to reverse the direction of rotation of the rotary cylinder 35 the shim-blocks 59 are removed and the standards 58 disposed and secured in a lower position to arrange the pinion 56 in engagement vwith the teeth 54. The clutch 50 is then thrown out to disconnect the pinion 4:5 with the source ofv power'and the 'shaft 57 and pinion 56 are 4; tirarse rotated to revolve the pinion 56 in its usual directi'on and thereby operate to reverse the direction of rotation ot' the cylinder 35. This enables the reversing; ot thetlrill when it is desired `to renin the bore.

ihat I claim is: Y

.1.A In a well drilling: machine, the combination of a stationary cylinder, a rotary cylinder provided with' means for engaging a drill pipe disposed about said first cylinder,

a series of anti-friction rollers interposed between said cyhnders to form a lateral bearing, and ay series of connected ioating rollers mounted between the upper surface of the stationary eylinde and an inwardly extendingf portion on said rotary-cylinder to form a vertical bearing.

In a well drilling mechanism having,r a rotary cylinder carrying;r drill-pipe en gagging means. a stationary cylinder extend ing into said rotary cylinder, a series of anti-friction rollers interposed between sa'id cylinders to form a lateral bearing, a circu lar toothed rack carried by the stationary cylinder, a series of connected floatingr pinons on said circular rack, and a Complementary circular rack earriedby the rotary cylinder engaging and supported upon said pinions.

il. In a well drilling machine havingr a rotary cylinder and drill-pipe engaging means thereon. a stationary cylinder extending into said rotary cylinder, a detachable ringr secured to the stationary cylinder, aA series ot' anti-'friction rollers interposed between said cylinders and carried by the stationary cylinder and said ring, an annular toothed rack on said ring, a pair of concentric floating rings, a Series oi' pinions revolubly mounted between said rings and supported upon the annular toothed rack, a circular toothed rack carried by the rotary cylinder I neshingir with said pinions through which the rotary cylinder is supported on the pinions, and means for rotating the rotary cylinder.

l. In a well drilling;r machine the eonstruction -comprisng a rotary 'eylinder, toothed rollers forming a horizontal bearing for said rylinder.` vertical anti-friction roll ers foi-Illing lateral bearings for said cylin der. spur teeth on the lower enti of said cylinder. a driving pinion meshing therewith, spur teeth on the upper portion oi said eylinder. a pinion meshing with said last named spur teeth arranged dian'ietrieally op posite the lirst named pinion. and means for rotating said pinions in unison to eli'eet the rotation of said cylinder on the toothed roll- 5. In a` well dialling machine, the combination with a rotary member, of a drill pipe engaging means comprising a plurality of jaw members, radial guide rails mounted on said rotary member on which Said jaw members are slidably mounted, a disk earried by said rotary member having a central openings he 'alls ol. which form a cam and are engaged with the jaw members, and means for manually rotating said disk to advance or retract the jaw members in relation to each other.

(i. In a well drilling machine the combination with a rotary member, a plurality ot' radially exttinlinggr rails on said member, Vshaped jaw members slidably mounted on and guided by said rails, 'a disk haviii a central opening, the side walls of which forni cam faces arranged to engage said jaw members to advance the jawmembers toward each other when the disk is rotated in one direction, and means on the disk for retrac'rting the jaw members when itis rotated in the opposite direction.

T. In a well drillingr machine the combi nation with a` rotary member7 a plurality of radially extending rei'ls on said member, V-shaperfl jaw members slidably mounted on and guided by said rails, a disk havinnr a central opening, the side walls of which form cam faces arranged to engage said jaw members to advance the jaw members toward each other when the dislr is rotated in one direction, a flange on said dislr paral lelingr the cani faces of the opening therein, and projections on the jaw members adaptedto be engaged by said flange to retract thel jaw members when the disk is rotated in a reverse direction.

8. In a well drilling machine the combination with a stationary cylinder, a rotary ejf'linder, a series of anti-friction rollers interposed between said cylinders. a `flange on said cylinder overlapping the lower ends of said rollers to prevent upward movement of the cylinder, and a roller bearings!r on said stationary cylinder formingr a horizontal bearing for the rotary cylinder.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my naine this 9th day of January. 19M.

AUGUSTUS C. ZIERATH- Witnesses:

ilanonnnrln Barns, Manns Barrier. 

